I have been staying with my Grandma this week to help her out after Papa's death and she helps me get by and vice versa. When Papa was alive, I never wrote down his words of wisdom because I thought I would always remember them, now I can't seem to. As I yearn for him, my Grandma tells me "Those days are gone but you have the memories."
"Be a good person. Be a kind person and be helpful and it will come back to you. Have patience. Stop and smell the roses. Enjoy life. Don't rush through it. "
With regards to marriage, she tells me, "Don't go to bed angry at one another. Give and take. Compromise. You can't always have it your way."
Papa used to take me on the kiddie rides at Babalo Island because I was too young/scared to go on the big rides with Jason, Tiffany, and Chrissy. Papa took me on the Scrambler too. He asked me if I wanted to go on the Pirate Ship but I freaked out, it was too scary for me.
When Papa gave me rocket ships in the pool which were my favourite. Once, I was screaming so loud with excitement that a neighbour from the nearby apartment building called the police, complaining that a child was being beaten up. Papa had to explain that I was having fun! :)
When I got stung by a bee once or twice in Windsor during summer visits, Papa used to put cold meat on the wound which made me laugh but I guess it worked. He was like a little medical guru, he even helped Chris get rid of a wart. Papa always did his best to make sure we were not hurt or afraid. When I was afraid to be alone in the basement, where our shower was, he would come down and sit outside just to wait for me and walk me upstairs when I was finished.
Papa would watch the 11 o' clock news in the basement at night. I loved sneaking down there and laying with him, even though it could get cold. He would offer me a blanket or tell me to get slippers on as usual. I believe I inherited my intelligence from him, truly. He was so smart and fascinated with things like finance and the world. We used to watch those A&E specials about the end of the world and nostradamus and such and they would scare me :) At least he won't be here to see the end of the world. He always had reader's digest books from the 1970's or 1980's lol. I would read them nonetheless eventhough there was nothing intriguing about them to me as a young girl. I just wanted to be with him down there.
I used to fall asleep in Grandma's bed in his spot, so he would come up from the basement and carry me into the other bed. Other times, he would sacrifice and let me sleep in his bed and he would sleep in the transformer bed so I could be with my Grandma. I Love him so much!
I am having a hard time this week grieving for my Papa. I just keep thinking about how he was here one minute and I could call him whenever I wanted, now I will never get to speak to him again, at least for the rest of my physical life. I miss him so much.
